Vegan Stuffed Shells With Roasted Eggplant

I love pasta. All kinds of pasta. I love stuffed shells, but my favorite is fettuccine. In recent months, however, milk has caused my system to be more sensitive than usual. I am currently experimenting with recipes that will keep dairy and cheese at bay. It’s easier said than done.

This was my first time making them, and I am very pleased with the results. I ate the leftovers as lunch, and I grinned all the way. They were so rich and delicious without any cheese. Bonus: I didn’t detect any tofu. Win!

How to make Dairy-Free Stuffed Shells

The filling is easy:

TofuDairy-free mozzarella shreds (I tried to Go Veggie)

Roasted Eggplant

Pesto

That’s it! The shells and the red sauce are all that is left. This is an eight-ingredient meal that takes only 1 hour to prepare.

If you’ve never tried eggplant in Italian dishes, you’ve been missing out. The roasted eggplant makes these shells in the filling. It’s heaven on a plate when you drench it in tomato sauce.

John tried them and said that if I hadn’t told him, he wouldn’t have known the difference. This is a big win for me because John doesn’t like tofu.

These shells are definitely going to replace the cheesy versions in the future. I’m sure my stomach was also delighted.

Ingredients

• 15 Jumbo Shells (gluten-free for GF Eaters)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Tofu firm 3/4 block (lightly blotted dry // 3/4 block yields about 1 1/4 cups)
• Vegan basil pesto (shouldn’t contain cheese).
• Sea salt, one pinch
• 1/2 cup dairy-free mozzarella cheese shreds (such as Go Veggie or Daiya)*
• Half a large eggplant, cut into rounds of 1/4 inch.
• 1 1/2 cups favorite marinara sauce

Instructions

• Pour the eggplant and sprinkle with sea salt. Place in a colander and let drain. After 10 minutes, rinse the eggplant rounds lightly with water and pat them dry. Place on a baking sheet, slice into quarters, and sprinkle with olive oil and salt. Broil for 5-10 minutes or until softened and slightly browned. Toss once or twice for even roasting. Set aside.
• Bring a pot to a rolling boil, then add the shells and sea salt. Stirring once, and cook according to the package directions. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
• While the shells cook, add tofu to a processor. Pulse it a few times to break it down. Add pesto and a pinch of sea salt to the dairy-free shreds of mozzarella. Mix until combined. You can taste a small amount to see if more pesto or salt is needed. Add the roasted eggplant.
• Drain and allow the shells to cool down slightly. Pour 1/2 cup of red sauce into a 10-inch cast iron pan or an 8×8 pan. (Amounts are as written in the original recipe // adjust for batch size). Then, stuff the shells generously with filling.
• Cover, but do not drown the shells with remaining tomato sauce. Bake for 35 minutes or until bubbly and warm. Serve immediately. Serve immediately.